Harmony U
by MahoganyMiss
Summary: -CH.2- Simone finds and retaliates at her roomate in a compromising position. Kay and Charity 'catch' eachother in the park, but what was caught? Reese finds away to get everything he's ever wanted.
1. View Before A Future

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Harmony U.

Prologue:

The night fell crisp on a dreary sleepy town as they spilled across the streets, displaying their attire glowing of extravagant in the pale streets lights and falling back into passing figures as the night embraced their treasured youth.

" I don't know about this guys," An almost nasal voice chimed in commenting and breaking the tom foolery that had begun with his look of disapproval as they all turned to his slender figure arm folded at the end of the long line of graduates. "Do you have any idea how much trouble we can get in for this?" He asked his hands sliding naggingly to his hips, waiting for some sort of response from the blinking orbs that bore back at him. _Never appreciated, _he'd think as his eyebrows cringed in deep furrow. "Do you?!" He asked vexed his whisper threatening into a holler, his words almost falling to deaf ears within the childlike grins.

"Do you have any idea what night this is?"

"I _know_ perfectly well what night this is," He replied coolly. " But even so, that still doesn't dignify, **breaking and entering.**" His tone specified the act as he crossed his arms, making himself a united front. A stone that couldn't be spoken to or moved.

"That's only if we get caught. Which we aren't because this is Harmony -"

"That doesn't change _anything_!?" He interrupted his voice full of vehemence spirit. " Lord, am I the only one hopped up in illegal substances, am **_I_** the only sane body right now because I swear to God from where I'm standing it sure as hell looks like it!"

"Would you quit it!? Really. All we're trying to do is have a little fun in our hang out, before grad tomorrow."

"… And we could have done this, at that great thing they call the _prom_."He countered. "You know the reason where all dolled up, the reason we've spent the past oh I don't know … **year**, planning for it and yet in all the irony we aren't even THERE!"

"Calm down man _please_…"

"I will not! I can't, I mean were committing a crime!" He sniggered sardonically at the words, he'd never imagined the words coming from his mouth … the action no less, in spite of all the crazy things he'd whiteness in his short spanned life. At other times, with exception to this, he would have joined in throwing caution to the wind and succumbing the deep dark end of trouble they always faced, but not tonight! Tonight would be different he wasn't going. _No way, no how_ … he assured himself with a nod in his thoughts.

* * *

He didn't really know why he was even here. He wasn't _really _graduating - actually, he wasn't graduating at all in the next few moments and quite honestly as he watched all of his _friends_ excitedly pile into the emptied book café, he couldn't help but feel disgusted and board, never to mention as he stood somewhere in the far distance watching people who were far younger of them reminisce of times in Harmony High that he'd **never **had … he could only think of better things that he could of done instead of chaperoning the teens.

If he'd had things his way, he wouldn't have been here in the first place - at the risk of repeating himself- If he'd had everything his own way he just might have been back in Britain with the friends he'd left behind sitting somewhere at an opened side street café discussing new and old literature while watching night to turn to day. He'd be living each day full of purpose, and peace … which was so ironic considering that he'd come to Harmony for some sort of completion, but he'd only been encircled with the tedious and ever yet so strange lives of the _gang_, not to mention the other thousand of messed up people in the putrid town.

Most importantly, if things were of his own account. He would be where she is right now, at this very moment they existed in the same place as they had whenever the _gang_ had a thirst for running after crazy old ninety - something year old women, battling daemons and we can't forget about ending up back in the book café _or_ the Bennett's only to start the madness all over again … and God knows what else, but if he sat to recount all those horrid times he'd fall too off course … and sooner than he would have liked she'd be gone from his invisible grasp once more.

He doesn't deserve you. He spoke as if his lips were inches away from her ears, as if she'd turn her beautiful eyes glinting towards him in some sort of wonder, as he'd confess his love for her of which he'd held from the first moment he'd met her from the first moment he'd heard the eloquent sound of her voice reciting his poetry. He thought he just might have died at that very moment, just as he thought as he felt his heart broke when her eyes turned her attentions away from him to her _other._ The man that would never treasure her, the way he could. Forever reminding him why this all could never be, and why he had to watch from afar.

"Sucks doesn't it."

The voice irked him beyond concern as he didn't even have to question who that arrogant tone belonged to. "Sucks that you're talking to me?" He whispered voice high of sarcasm. "Yeah, it kind of does so if you don't mind…" He trailed trying to sweep away from her stance as she held him tight by the arm.

He had to be honest. He should have liked her, if she submitted to her_ wishes - _her pathetic and infantile wishes- she could have given him all that he wanted and more, but that was impossible and she was none other than a desperate con.

"My offer still stands you know," She spoke loosening her grip, a small glint of mischief sparking in her blue eyes causing his stance to tense as he vehemently recoiled his arm from her venomous grip.

"I'd rather not thanks."

"And why is that? Exactly," She questioned her brow forming a perfect arch. " Oh that's it, so you can remain a prefect noble gentleman. I do suppose it's against your 'Ye old English' code to steal another man's game."

Her scornful snickers caught him as he glared at her once more. As he stood silent.

"Come on, I know you want this just as much as I do. It wouldn't be that hard," Her voice pleading in tones as recognizable as a child as he folded him arms, an inner sign to himself that even if he wanted to this would **never** work, he saw it - why couldn't she? "Couldn't you imagine being with both the people that we love."

It was at this point that he saw completely through all the devious schemes she made and how terribly she treated everyone who even showed any inkling of caring about her, which was few and far between. In some ways he kind of felt sorry for her, in all of his time in Harmony he hadn't noticed her do anything particular with her life than pursue someone who had no interests for her, from all his understandings she'd been going through this vicious cycle for years time, ruining everything that she could have held dear just to make some _boy_ love her. Perhaps it was something in the water because the girl whose eyes danced at the two of them behind their conversation did much of the same thing as did half the other women in this town: wasting their time chasing after men who couldn't give a rats ass, when they could have been doing better. Maybe they both were allot alike, maybe had she not been _her_ … they could have gotten along.

"Didn't you ever stop to think that _maybe_ you couldn't convince him to love you? -" He asked just as bluntly as she would have had this subject been of anything else.

She watched him closely like a deer in the headlights. She hadn't expected hearing that, she hadn't expected hearing the truth. "That's crazy, okay? I know he loves me, he even told me so … he - he told me that if _she_ hadn't come along it would have been me! Don't you get it? Doesn't _anyone _get it? It should be me!" Her voice threatened a yell, as he could almost see the tears forming in her eyes each word reflecting him as much as it was to herself, no matter how badly she didn't want to believe it.

Don't say it, please. His mind pleaded, not wanting to hurt her as much as he already did - but he knew this had to be said. "Didn't … you ever stop to think - he just didn't love you at all."

He saw how it affected her, he saw how her spirit sunk the words hitting her as hard as a tone of bricks as a tear fell against the face. Such an innocence falling on such a hardened face. _She'll thank me,_ he reassured himself before her.

"Fuck you." She splattered through her linear tears as she strides away to her support system and they trail out of the room, forever giving their last glances to the couple huddled closely by the window. The other girl glared at him, as if her story was any different before they left.

Still hardened and convinced of what is so oblivious to her.

One day. Nevertheless, perhaps tonight before graduation his words would sink in and she'd finally see it. Tonight, no - but sooner or later, maybe. _Just not before it's too late._

__

_

* * *

_

Maybe he just doesn't love you … She didn't want his words to effect her as much as they did but as she followed her best fiend outside fall apart in a river of full spirited tears, she knew that statement didn't only stand for just one person. _But that couldn't have been true_, she'd managed to confirm to herself with a firm shake of her head. Things were different, she wasn't chasing after someone who didn't love her … she was winning her first love back, wasn't she?

As suddenly as she was lead to that question, the quickly she wanted to perish the indecision from her head. No way in hell did she want to end up like this, now way was she going to end up like this she knew that for certain but if that was so true why didn't she fell that way? Why did she feel like somehow someway she and her friend would be in the exact same position, hadn't they been in the same one already.

Some strange premonition perhaps. Her mind joked, as a small smile threatened to come across her lips before the sound of heavy sobbing flooded her ears once more and she realized their were far more important things than thinking about herself. At least she knew that.

"He loves me. I know he does," She watched the girl her words masked by the sound of tears but even still, holding as much conviction as she could muster. And as she watched her partner in crime's tears cascade across her ruined face in the middle in the night she couldn't help but fear what was to happen to her. Granted she wasn't as an experienced schemer as she was, but she learnt everything she had to from her and now with the simple thought that everything that she'd worked for - everything _they'd_ worked for to be precise was for absolutely nothing was sort of ominous, if all she did was life vicariously through her footsteps.

Was that what I was doing? Her mind questioned herself awkwardly while everything seemed to disappear in her sight and sound. _No,_ she fervently confirmed to herself once more, she was the one with the head above her shoulders and don't forget_ she -_ although she helped in many of them- was the voice of reason when it came to unimaginable schemes so no, she wasn't living in anyone's footsteps most definitely not!

"You know it would kind of help, if you gave me some sort of comfort is stead of just staring out in to space!?" The girl snapped as she smiled completely out of her own thoughts. This was why she loved her so much, and maybe had she chose someone to follow after she just might have chosen her … despite her obvious character flaws.

"I'm sorry girl," She spoke softly as she sat beside the fluffed image of sky blue, that sat on the ground. "Whatever shall I do to make you fell better?"

The girl remained quiet for a moment, as if she'd been waiting for the longest time for someone to ask her that before she turned. "Tell me that I'm not doing this for nothing. Tell me that everyone is wrong God," She yelped at the moon. "Just tell me that he couldn't possibly love her as much as he could love me."

She could see it in her eyes, that this was more than her asking a few minutes and suddenly it was obvious to her that this was more than anything to her and to the girl that sat beside her. She needed her, she needed her for validation for the things she did. She needed someone to tell her that the things she was doings were right. More so she needed someone to tell her that the things she was doing was wrong, but as much as that was what she really wanted she'd never listened to it.

"I don't know." She replied quietly. Not wanting to tellher any truthts or anu lies. The last thing she wanted to do was tell her friend something that would fuel her more than she'd already been, which would have gotten her into more trouble that she'd already and always made for herself. Hopefully that would be all she'd need before grad, or before she'd finally come to her senses.

* * *

"We should be getting back." She'd said as they found themselves alone once more, as they always did. Everyone had begun to leave at the first sight of sunrise, yet they were still here. What for she didn't exactly know but even so, she was getting tired and she could tell by the bleak look in his eyes that he'd been to, and she most definitely didn't want to face Beth when she came in so she walked ahead her hand in his as if somewhat to pull guide him back outside, as he stopped and causing her to looked at him once more.

"You know what why don't we stay back for a bit." He held back not wanting to be around the crowd, at the moment as he kept a soft hold on her. Tomorrow came tp fast and he felt as if he was loosing time with the sight of day, he wasn't supposed to feel this way … he hadn't expected to fell fear and excitement at the same time but he did, and letting it go was completely out of the question for him. He looked at her deep as her brow rose trying to hide a certain usettledness that he clearly saw. "We need to talk."

"Talk." She'd repeated quietly her hands still with his without her knowledge . Never liking such the ominous tone that came from him, but she listened anyways taking a deep breath and prepairing herself for anything. To be honest she'd been expecting this, anyone with a sane mind could have seen that and even though she was completely out on if she was completely normal or not she knew what this _talk _was going to be about. _Why not? This was graduation, he's probably just letting you so he'll have a clean slate for the summer._ It was completely logical to her, why wouldn't he want to leave? Things between them weren't completely simple as it was. Actually she was glad this was happening now. _Who am I kidding,_ she siged in her thoughts. "Okay."

"You know what before you do, I need to say something to tell you too." Besides, if he was going to break up with her know the least she could do was keep her own dignity. She'd never been able to do that sort of thing. She'd never really had the guts, but tonight was as good as any.

"What's that?" He asked his face less endearing and more serious. He took the time in the silence to watch her in the night, she wasn't the same. Somehow tonight she didn't seem like the same girl who needed him, like she had after the fire. She no longer seemed … like _her_, anymore.

They stood apart no longer touching or feeling as if they'd known what was coming as someone finally spoke. "Thanks." She'd said with a forced smile as she walked beyond him wanting badly to leave before he said those horrible words: _Let's just see other people._ She had no use for them anyway, all they'd do is make her cry and she wasn't doing that not anymore.

"For what?"

"Everything. Look, I don't expect you to prentend that loving me was the easiest thing in the world … but you did it anyways , you stood by me when I really didn't want to stand myself actually," She laughed slightly catching serious once more as she kept on. "And I'm glad I knew you,"

She nodded as if to say, _great break up speech_ … in self gratification, before she continued to walk.

"_Knew_ me?" He repeated dubiously.

"Yes. Look, I don't know if you're trying to do this, but you _really_ are making this allot worse when you keep me here - So it was nice knowing you, and maybe when I'm finished feeling sorry for myself we could stil be friends."

"Friends?"

"_Yes_" She hissed feeling impatient. As she closed her eyes. "I _know_ you want to break up with me, and it's alright I knew one of these days you'd come to you're senses and realize that -"

" I -"

"Just let me finish okay. I knew one day it wouldn't be too good to be true, so it was nice that when it lasted." She turned finally not hearing him speak another word as she reach the back door nob to the book café. She walked slowly, even though at the moment she just wanted to run but that wouldn't have done her any good anyways now would it.

She struggled with the door nob franticly when she heard his footsteps cursing beyond no end that he had to end things in the locked from the outside book café. "Why me?" She sighed bagning her head against the door as she turned to him. "We're locked in," She laughed. "Can you believe it? It's graduation day were supposed to be home and were locked in the supply room of a book café. I really must be a jinx,"

"Good." Was all he could manage to say after all he just heard. _No interruptions._

Good?! Her mind raced miles in seconds, at his tone ans present stance. He was breaking up with her and all he could say was 'good' when they were locked together in the few minutes of awkwardness. She started to wonder what she saw in him in the first place at this point. And in all her arntins and raving she'd never noticed how close he'd gotten to her once more, or how confusing the emotions that played on his face were …

"I just really want to get out of here you know?" She said feeling the emotion inher tone as she struggled with the nob and he turned her to him once again. "What is it?" She sighed. _Why couldn't you make this easy ?_ Is what she thought.

"Marry me."

They were the chosen.

Never knowing such they let time breezing by as ages in their eyes, the spirits craving a day like today had been. The first day of the rest of their lives. The day where they were no longer children, no longer the troubled adolescents … they were now the future. The four running figures in the night, were where the past had died and a promising future had begun.


	2. The Pasts We Try To Escape

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Opening Thoughts - Before you start to read this I'd like to thank, all that reviewed. To be straight with y'all I thought I'd have a really hard time coming back all this time, but you've all certainly proven me wrong and I thank you, and as always hope you enjoy!

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Chapter One:

Three Years Later …

Book Café.

" Alright now, what I want _you _to do is take these corner points from the vertices you've just made and …" Reese Durkee looked up from the graph that he'd made, and across to the student that had begged _him_ to tutor her in optimizing functions. Jessica Bennett was supposed to be listening to him because he'd talked his ear off about some quiz and if she failed, '_it would be like so totally bad.' _She pouted and suddenly Reese Durkee found it impossible to say no.

But when he looked up at her once more and found the teenager searching his face with an intense look that spread through her largely rimmed eyes as if it was about to explode, Reese suddenly felt the need to stand and go back to his dorm where he was sure he could find a whole lot better things to do, then tutor the _clueless_ extra that he sat across from.

"You know what you need Reese," She'd began breaking her gaze with his face, as she reached for a large black tote back.

"No Jessica," He replied in a tight manner. "Haven't a clue, what is that?"

He eyes the bag with the big letters of "**MARK"** plastered across it in italics and he couldn't help himself from rolling his eyes. Yes, of course he liked Jessica and everything she seemed to be pretty cool for a girl of her age, but still there was only so much of ten minute infomercials a man could take, a this point when he watched her lay out a various selection of skin care products he'd thought of her mother's tomato soup cake - and how appetizing the miss match of vegetable and desert seemed at this point.

When she was finished she crossed her arms outmost professionally, as she looked at Reese once more. "Now, Reese I'm only saying this to help you know that right?" He nodded, despite himself. "And, you _know _that constructive criticism is the best criticism, right?"

"Sure, why not?"

"Reese, you have terrible skin problems." Jessica commented analysing his colour tone thoroughly. _It's completely uneven in colour, _she contemplated in all seriousness, _must be all that damned college food._

No I **do** not! " Jessica!" The young man screeched as he touched his face self-consciously, his skin was perfectly fine! He checked it this morning and he did that _every-mourning_, Neutrogena wash - even though he was convinced that it was for girls but his mother told him that if he'd only just try it that may be - the point is his skin was clear, better than it was in High School that's for damn sure. "I do not have a skin problem, Jessica." He spoke once more in that ever familiar tight tone of voice as he rose from his seat, " And I _don't_ need a live ' Mark.' commercial, I've lead myself to believe I look quite alright and if it's all the same to you, I'm going to take my quite-alright self, and leave."

"But Reese," She whined secretly cursing herself, third time this week she was loosing a customer. Margaret would certainly fire her this time. She was half way packing up her things to leave as well until she saw Reese, stop completely a completely glazed over look crossing his face as the book café door opened and shut revealing none other than her sister Kay Bennett and Fox Crane.

Word on the venue was that Reese had a thing for Kay ever since they'd been kids, why Jessica would never firmly grasp - but whatever the case, turn a long story short Reese never gets the girl and perchance that's why he is who is today, at least that was how Jessica saw it.

"You're not over her." She said, her tone so sure that it was ripping the thoughts right from his head as he turned to her.

"What?"

"You heard me perfectly clear, Reese Durkee, you are still hung up on that High School crush you had - and still have, on my sister." She said, hitting an anger nerve in him she was sure. "There's no point in denying it. It's in everything you do, the look on you're face when you see her and Fox together … the way you've chosen to be a hermit to all who've known you, how cynical you've become…"

She was more than ready to say more, but the further she continued was the further Reese walked away, confirming to her that this _was _indeed the truth, and this _was _a truth that Mr. Durkee was yet able to face.

"Until next time," She whispered inwardly, her brown eyes left where Reese had just been and quickly scanned the rest of the café for her next potential 'Mark' customer.

* * *

Harmony Community Centre.

This was her, place.

Finally Simone Russell had found something that finally belonged to _her. _Never her superbly perfect sister, nor a meddling best friend - just her Simone Etta Russell. Of course there was always the shrill noise of children playing downstairs, and the ruined fashion the room looked but never the less this had been her place. She smiled proudly as the click from the door affirmed that she was finally inside, away from the rest of Harmony and she had now resided in her own world.

She stood in the middle of the room taking it all in as she took one last breath, and spotted her radio in the far corner.

A low sullen tune droned through the small space as she caught a glimpse of herself in the various dirty mirrors that scaled the room. Her hair was frazzled from the Autumn winds and her scarf practically was chocked around her neck. Simone watched her self as she set herself free from the customary seasonal clothing and all that was left was a plane shirt and sweat pants.

She took a breath as she made an effort to smooth her hair, and her outfit once more before her eye got caught in a glimpse with herself once more and at this point she couldn't help but stare at herself and move closer forward to get a better look at what she was seeing.

She looked the same. Drained.

Hello Simone. She thought sardonically, as she smiled broadly apparently proud nevertheless of the way she looked before making a full our turn around the dance studio, while turning the music louder. _Not as good as you used to be, _she thought quietly watching herself try to remember an old routine, _but we could always work on that._

She needed this. Her body needed this she could feel it, in the ache that was suddenly released with every jerk and jive her hips made. She grinned somewhat as she swayed, and leaped remembering of younger days when Whitney wasn't the only star in the family.

Closing her eyes she could see a small stubble girl, hair pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head and hands tightly clung into her mother's. _That was me …_ She said to herself, frowning deeply at the word _was_ that seemed to bulge out in her thoughts apart from everything else.

"Mommy I don't want to go! I want to stay home with you, we could dance there. Can't we Mommy?"

"of course not , Sugar Bear." Eve would say as Simone's pout broadened.

"But I don't want to go to dance class, Mommy you can't make me go …" She'd stated as firmly her face as stern as her father's as she crossed her little arms, looking into her mother's eyes trying to be convincing as they softened just as quickly. _"What if I'm not good enough,"_

Eve smiled crossly as she knelt down to her daughter patting down her hair, and softly grazing her soft cheek. _Her baby_, she'd always think protectively. _"You'll never know if you don't try. Besides, if you don't go now how are you gonna be **the best **ballerina in the whole entire universe,"_

The best, that's what she had been out of all the class of mini ballerina's Mrs. Korsakov, her old ballet teacher, said that she was indeed the best out of all the class, _you could really make it - I can see you in the ABC right now …_

"Simone?"

But that never happened. _Not meant to be, _she'd thought mournfully before looking towards the voice that called to her. As the voice called to her time had past and beads of sweat had formed all around her body.

"John, hi. How - how long have you been standing there?" She stammered never facing him as she rummaged through her things looking for a towel as she stood, admiring the orange-brown foliage that cascaded to the ground, as she scrubbed the back of her neck letting the soft feel and smell sink in as she let out a satisfied breath.

"Long enough." He said flatly. "How long have you been dancing?"

Her brow rose as she turned to the man a small smirk playing on her face, as she knew where this conversation was leading to. "Long enough." She teased, watching the stern visage come upon his face as walked closer. "I don't see what's the problem with that, and when have you stopped being my friend and start becoming my keeper?"

John studied her a moment, the overt way she spoke of her stubbornness calling upon his memory as words took him once more. "The wedding practice was today-"

"I knew that."

"…And you weren't there."

Simone gave John a strange look before throwing her towel aside and moving past him to turn the music down. "I'm surprised you'd noticed seeing as you weren't there either." She countered somewhat vexed that she was being treated like such a child.

"I'm not Eve Russell's child." He stated plainly before facing her back. "My moth- Grace," He corrected himself quickly with the clearing of his throat. "Told me that Eve was pretty upset that neither of her daughter's showed up," He wanted that to affect her somehow, John hoped that the words he spoke might have turned Simone's opinions but it was so hard to tell how she felt. Simone was always so opaque, she always kept her true self hidden. Perfect example of this: Her being the dancer she was, in all the years of friendship this was the first time he'd ever seen her dance.

"And I'm supposed to care about that John?" She spewed her form now perfectly turned around the sweat adding to a certain glow that added to the flame that glistened in her eyes. "Let me remind you if you seemed to have forgotten: My Mother spent all of our existences trying to be our perfect example of perfection when in truth she was less than that. I don't think I need to remind you of what happened the tabloids can do that just fine,"

"Simone,"

"John I don't see why, I support a marriage that tore my family apart." Her eyes stayed in contact with his for a moment and he continued to give her that studied look once again. She hated that blank stare, it made her insides fell empty and cold. She wanted him to stop because every time he looked at her that way she felt as if he was seeing into her very soul, judging it verifying for truth in her words and honesty he had no right to be there in the first place.

He laughed which heightened her aggravation.

"You are from one strange make, Jonathon Hastings." She says before shoving her things back in her bag, no way in hell was she continuing to be in this conversation. "One minute you're digging into me about not supporting my mother's new found love, and now you're laughing like a damn fool. Call me when you've gained your senses,"

Her head shook from side to side as she adjusted her coat and scarf to leave, her hair beginning to ruffle at the slight breezes of the cold air wafting from an open door somewhere in the distance, as she thought of what she needed to pick up for her dorm only to shift her mind from the conversation.

"This is because of Chad isn't it?"

Chad. The sound having so much power on her as she stopped dead in her footsteps, as if the man himself had been peering at her back. She could still feel the heavy palpitations from her heart from just a mention. He _was_ her keeper if she was ever to have one, the only man that could have ever really had her heart, but he was just like the moves her soul made once upon a time, never meant to be.

She never answered. Only stood at the threshold of the door, frozen as if in some sort of magical spell - mystical hold until she was set free, and at the moment she prayed that she would be set free.

"You didn't go, because, unlike you he'd be there to support his parents."

She heard the words echo once more as they did through out their talk, but this one hit her harder than anything. It had been so long ago, she should have been over it by now but she wasn't the wounds were still there, still fresh and stinging and her Mother and _that man_ getting married as if all they'd done was fine, and they'd never hurt anyone by it.

And now she was being accused of still having feelings for Chad Harris Crane. "This doesn't have anything to do with me and Chad, this is about my Mother and her need to put her own well being above everyone else's. I mean, God! John you were there! She ran my sister out of town, when Chad was revealed to be her son with Julian. You saw how she broke my father's heart when he found out that _she_ was the one that put an end to his tennis career in that car crash, not even to mention the affair she had with Julian even when they were together -" She found herself fall to a pause, as if the words finally set into her and the scenes of all her Mother had done had played vividly in her mind before John and the room they were in came back to her conscious.

"Chad is that farthest thing from my mind." She confided within a sarcastic laugh, finding the irony in the fact that a few years ago Chad was the one and only thing she'd ever been concerned about. _Funny how things change …_

It was bias, of him to say or even to think that he knew Simone or any woman in this town better than they knew themselves. But he did. It was hard not to figure out the true heart of a female Harmony resident because in truths when you got right down to it, they were _all_ the same. He knew perfectly well Simone was lying. Lying about not feeling anything for Chad, lying about truly hating her mother - about everything. He could see it. He could feel it. "Right." He simply said with a nod before pursing his lips desperately not wanting to do what he always did when he was helplessly frank with a woman.

Yet however obviously the tone of which he said something so tangible vexed Miss Russell, the sarcasm mixed with sure pity in her lies made her wonder why she ever engaged in conversation in the first place, and why she was still here was beyond all her knowing.

"I don't need this." She hissed vehemently, while lifting her duffle bag once more. "Not today, and most certainly not from you John." He watched her turn away. Her black curls dwindling as she picked up a quickened pace. Simone paused once again, surprising him as she turned around. "Maybe we'll talk when this wedding's over. Don't be too mad, if you don't see me sharing the happy couple's special day."

* * *

Harmony Public Park.

She couldn't help but watch his figure leave all sight, before she turned to walk away. Reluctant smiles creeping up on her, as she pressed light fingertips upon her overly kissed lips. _Lips, thou art now owned by Nicholas Foxworth Crane,_ Kay Bennett's mind giggled in a fake British accent. She could believe what this could do to her - the aspect of love possibly blooming. For her. In the legal sense, this time of course.

Here she was smiling like an idiot all alone in the middle of a park, because of him. Because he'd offered to take her home. She'd reclined, although everything inside of her wanted nothing more that to have agreed, as she would have had she not had her own obligations to take care of. Obligations she'd wished she hadn't gotten herself into in the first place, but that was just your regular Kay Bennett: Her only trusted friend, her worst enemy.

_NO Tabitha! A thousand times over no. I'm not helping you do any more of your dirty work, not this time." Kay heaved as she paced around the isolated park. God! She'd thought she'd learnt her lesson to stay far clear away from Tabitha Lennox, yet here she was hissing at the wind which in some strange way was Tabitha's best method of retreat from Charity's wrath, whatever that could be. "I have lost too much already when I got exposed, know way am I going to help you ruin someone else's life like you did mine." _

"**Ruin?**" The winds blew as Tabitha could be heard all around her yet no where to be seen. "**I saved you from the Martha Stewart living gone wrong called _your_ life, and now you're saying that I ruined _your _life ! Selfish ingrate hadn't it been for me, you'd be on the streets belonging to all the other teen statistics. You my dear should be bowing down to my feet -**"

"I don't owe you a damn thing Tabitha," Kay howled, as she self consciously looked over her shoulder a few times. As angry as she was she couldn't help her words from sounding anxious as she tried not sounding to crazy yelling at the moon. However she figured she couldn't have been that bad considering this was in fact Harmony, "In fact the only thing you deserve is to be burned at the stake! If it hadn't been for you, I just might have moved on with my life - who knows I might have even realized on my own that Miguel never truly_ loved _me, but NO! You kept on reeling me in with your lies, until my whole life _was _and still _is _**RUINED!**" Kay fumed, not wanting to admit to herself and the rest of Harmony that she was wrong when it came to Miguel's feelings for her.

"**If you'd have only been just a bit more patient perhaps, you might have been the one Miguel married not Goldie locks,**" Tabitha's voice hissed around her, the sound so profound it brought mere chills to her bones. "**But no, you decided to doubt me and what I could have done for you and now I have to play the damned fugitive to make sure I wont be ashes when your cousin finally realizes who I really am!**"

Kay smiled wryly. She lived with Tabitha long enough to know that she was finally struggling, Kay did more evil work for her than she'd been able to do in years, and now that Kay had chosen to give up the dark side to start a new life with Fox, there would be no one to help her _maintain_ proper balance of evil, no one as good as her that was for sure. "Oh, come on Tabitha, you wouldn't have given me what I wanted no matter how patient I was - You know the more I start to think of it the more, I know you would have never given me Miguel. Having him was just the bait you'd use to get me to do whatever the hell you wanted. Well no more Tabitha, I'm _through._ And if you I _ever _hear from you again I swear to God, I won't even hesitate telling Charity where you are-"

A laugh became of the winds as it picked up Autumn foliage, tossing it every which way in Kay's direction. "**I'm frightened Kay, really I am - but I'm afraid you don't have any choice whether or not you want to be in the dark side. You are. You signed yourself over in your own blood it's irredeemable. You are owned by us, and you will do whatever I see fit or be damned to the consequences,**" The old witch said quite sternly. "**And I'll tell you Miss Bennett, our friends downstairs don't take well to traitors.**"

Kay was close to returning a smart counter to the arrogant sorceress, when she heard a the distinct crimpling of leaves and damp grass from behind her. _Please don't be Fox. _She pleaded within whisperers in her mind, as she shut her eyes. It would have killed her to have Fox catch her yelling at the bushes and the winds let alone talking about her past doings, definitely she didn't want him to here her still having anything to do with the dark side.

"Charity? What are you doing here?"

….


	3. Divine Disruption

****

Chapter Two: 

Harmony Public Park.

It happened again tonight.

The dimmed lights of Harmony's streets had faded once more to black, and her secluded vengeance filled a contrary character. She thought shed been rid of this sequence of the erratic that had become her life, she thought the nightmares she'd lived was over and her much deserved happy ending had begun.

But that as many other things she knew was a lie.

The fairy tale had never really begun, it was just a dormant nightmare.

Her paces seemed to tear the town into two as she loomed through the darkness. Her intentions hidden, from the norm. Searching for an unremorseful revenge, she found herself roaming - looking for an enemy that was never to found, prowling the darkness for any sight of it but yet always coming up empty handed, frustrated and confused.

Story of my life… Charity thought an air of weary falling in silent statements. In spite of that she did have to admit that this time was considerably better than all the other nights that the **_darkness_ **had consumed her. In fact she'd even happened to let out a slight sigh of relief when her sight came back to her, and she found herself alone in the park. Running into someone she knew here at the state she was in would be unbearable, she was already terrible at making up stories - out of habit, she figured.

"Well Charity," She turned, to the voice that reminded her of speaking much to soon. "Answer me. What are you doing here?"

Her back was turned to her cousin and the darker part of herself told her that maybe running or pretending she hadn't heard Kay would have been better then her trying to pretend that she wasn't, in one of her ever _popular_moments of consumption - but she couldn't. Running wouldn't even start to solve her issues with the voice of intimidation she'd called her cousin ,Kay Bennett.

Charity turned her sky blue eyes peering in to the deepened cobalt of Kay's as she took another unnerved breath. Thinking of what she could have said to switch the conversation from what **_she_ **was doing, and to more of what her cousin was doing in Harmony's local park - alone.

"Walking home. I was just heading home from Aunt Grace's -" But that might have started more of an argument that she was too tired to deal with. "The park's actually a pretty good shortcut back to the dorm."

Charity happened to say within one breath, cursing herself for actually mentioning her Aunt's name while in the same space as her greatest enemy. Nevertheless, it was a lie and she actually wasn't with Grace, in fact she hadn't seen her Aunt in month's - make that the better part of the year.

"Really." Kay said slowly as if something more was to be implied as Charity quickly shook her head yes "So how is _Grace_and everyone else - must have been **overjoyed** to see you."

Charity almost cringed at the sarcasm that played in each of Kay's words before taking another breath. This was almost expected, for Kay to make her feel even worse than she already had for things she hardly had control over. It had come to the point where she began to hate herself for not saying anything because in truth, Kay was the one caught trying to ruin _her_life not the other way around. But still - in habit- she could never bring herself to say anything.

"They miss you, Kay." She said quietly, staring at the ground. "They all want you to be apart of the family again - even _Grace_."

Though very small as it might have looked, the small glint of consideration that grazed her face was as visible as anything to her. _Maybe , I just might have gotten through to her - as hard as that is …_ She thought somewhat gingerly.

As if she read her thoughts Kay snapped back into reality staring at Charity with the normal disdain. "Please, Charity if you're going to waste my time by trying to achieve yet another saintly deed by repairing the Bennett family - Spare me, I have better things to do anyway ."

Charity turned to leave, as always, doing what she was told before pausing in her footsteps and looking at an indifferent Kay Bennett once more. " I'll never begin to be sorry enough for what's happened to you and Aunt Grace when I came to town - I'll even be sorry for _taking_ your life" She spoke as if she was talking to herself. "But I'll never be sorry for loving Miguel and having him love me back."

"This isn't about Miguel, Charity -" Not anymore at least.

"Whatever it's about, Kay - Whatever the hell it is that's making you hate me, I don't care - not tonight." She sighed. "I know for a fact that _your _family loves you - Even after what happened at the wedding, even before _I _came to town … they love you and they want you to come home -"

Her lips were fixed in a permanent frown, as she continued to watch Charity with customary distaste, as she spoke on.

"Just let it go, Kay. Stop being so vindictive and go back to your family," She pursed her lips refraining herself from saying anymore as she turned, letting the light caress her as she headed back to the university.

…

Harmony Dormitory University.

The sound of **way-too-loud** music blaring through the ceilings and walls, and the crowds that he had to play quarter back to just to get through to his room, reminded Reese Durkee that it was Friday. It also reminded him how much he hated Friday's in the first place. Which rang a very pleasant bell for his hatred for anything that breathed.

He parted the grounds briskly shoving classmate to classmate apart, as he grumbled profanities all the way through to his dorm room. He paused his keys mid through the lock as he made a silent prayer for his roommate not to be there waiting for him wit another one of his idiotic musings about life, love, and the wonder's of how they got the caramel into those chocolate bars.

"Durkee. How's it hanging dude?" But some prayers were always too farfetched to be answered.

"It's not **hanging**, at all Jeff." He'd always reply lethargically making his way to his room and back, to where Brett had been. Curious he peered behind his sitting form, watching the man who clearly not had a decent thought in his head - writing with the looks of something profound.

Astonishing, Reese thought before asking. "What are you doing here anyway, Jeff. I mean it's Friday shouldn't you out painting the town read with all the other drones."

"Nah, not tonight man. Besides I don't think much people would be out anyways considering what going on."

He rose a golden brow intrigued by the miracle of what he was witnessing. An idiot writing things on paper like some prophesied philosopher. " Considering what's going on, Jeff?" He repeated like a parrot, noticing that this was the third time he'd said Jeff in minutes.

"This." Jeffery exclaimed, clearly excited as he handed a brightly coloured flyer to Reese. Reluctantly the intellectualist took it in arms giving it the once over as the other explained. "It's this new up and coming reality show. "The Eagle" it's this show where they give fashion plagued guys makeovers."

"Outstanding." Reese lied, not pulling off the _riveted_ act he was going for. "So I'm guessing you're the fashion deprived guy who's in need of a makeover?"

Jeff nodded proudly at the question. "That's not even all man, get this - Once the best out of the makeover's are chosen we get to compete in a beauty contest!"

"Beauty contest. Wow."

"Yeah Man! And the winner gets a thousand dollars - and a brand new look of course."

Jeff continued to drawl on about the new - of many variety show that hit Harmony, and blah, blah, blah. Reese couldn't have really cared less. No way was he going to submit himself to being judged as to whether he was a sorry case enough to be made over into some superficial air head who only thought of looks instead of thoughts which in Reese Durkee's opinion was what really and truly mattered.

He nodded with conviction as he placed the bright paper that was once clenched in his hands, down on the table with disinterest. He gave a cool nod to Jeff who said he had to go get his registration form in early so he could get a decent time for his audition because if he didn't go early … whatever, he left and Reese was yet again left alone to face that bright green piece of paper.

**The Eagle**. It read with dramatic font, which caused Reese to be involuntary intrigued.

The more he stared the more he heard Jessica Bennett's bubble gum voice, filling each particle of the sound around him in very loud, very irritating proportions. _You still haven't gotten over her - you're still in love with Kay. _It repeated over and over like some brainwashing tape.

"Yes! Alright? I STILL love her!" He said suppressing a scream under clenched teeth. But he knew no matter who he admitted this to it would never have changed anything why in the world would someone as amazing as Kathleen Bennett choose Reese Durkee: Male turkey over Nicholas Fox Crane: Rich pretty boy. The chances were a million to none.

He eyed the paper once more taking it once more with a grin crossing his lips, as the thought entered. However if he had this makeover done and a thousand in his pocket maybe the chances of him getting Kay would change. He couldn't loose, no one could say no to a beauty contest winner. Miguel won Charity that way.

…

Room 218.

With the click of her door being closed Simone knew something was up in her dorm room. It was quiet, but it was _too_ quiet. Normally her roommate Mila would be cat walking around the apartment with her boy friend Ty. They were both resident models and Harmony and they both had to give Simone the pleasure of living in the same environment with her.

At first when Simone met Mila she appeared to be a real great roommate, but it was only after sitting within two minutes with her boyfriend Ty she knew the aspect of a normal roommate was far more than just an urban myth. They had to be the dirtiest couple on the face of the earth. They couldn't have spent a second without giving Simone their own sick private show in the kitchen, on the floor … and her **personal favourite**, outside where the rest of Harmony U's population could see.

Simone remembering what her Saintly mother had said about minding her own, and being considerate to differences but it had become one love scene _too_ much when Simone caught them last and informed them that their public displays of affection where definitely not fitting in her dorm room. Especially, when she was paying the rent religiously and they were always a few days off - on the count of "The Modelling World Expenses". Of course when she did the friendship had ended - if there even was one- and a rival had begun.

She knew that this silence was a sign that some place, some where. Mila and Ty were going against her wishes, and going at it like two rabbits in spring. The thought alone of it made Simone cringe with disgust.

"Ty." Simone said quietly holding out hope that her thoughts were just fixation, and the duo wasn't there. "Mila? Are you there?"

Nothing. She walked through the silent house repeating the phrase and continuing not to be answered until she got to her room. Her door was cracked open slightly, the light turned dimly down as she could have sworn she heard her Sade C.D being played at a soft decibel, and her favourite candle that cost her a fortune being lit.

"Tyyyy." She heard someone, Mila, sigh. "Oh my Goodness" It shouted panting heavily.

Simone stood burning with rage at the other end, as she listened to her roommate. In **her** own bed of all places. "Oh hell no!" She whispered, as every part of her wanted to barge into her room and blaze their asses for even thinking of having sex in her room! But no. Simone decided to stay calm, keep cool - as she thought of a better way to punish the couple.

Her eyes were particularly drawn to the matches that lay on the phone table, and a fire alarm that was placed ever so conveniently above her room. That might have been perfect given the fact that she would have **wanted** firemen crowding her apartment so late at night, and the fact that Mila and Ty wouldn't have been stupid enough to go for anything else.

But they were. Which made her scheme even more beautiful.

"Thank _you_, Kay Bennett." Simone sang even though she along with the rest of Harmony's population - except maybe Charity Lopez - Fitzgerald- hated her. But that was besides the point. Efficiently Simone lit a match letting the smell of flame linger through the house for a few minutes, and the smoke to fog somewhat the area. She glanced at the clothes trailing the carpet as she picked them up and took them to the other room with her.

"OH MY GOD, FIRE, FIRE!!!!! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE. SAVE YOURSELVES!!" Simone yelped in the other room, as she watched the two naked figured make a mad dash out the door screaming and crying for their pretty lives as the door snapped shut and the sound of fear faded down the hall.

She smiled victoriously as she cautiously strolled to her room, to check out how much damage was made, much to her luck there was tons of damage and Simone found herself on the verge of breaking down when she heard something that perked her ears in the far distance. The noise falling below her walk out window, that lead to a balcony. Pretty nice for a college dorm, and just perfect for her to see a butt naked Ty and Mila scrambling outside. With many spectators.

They peered up at the building they thought was on fire, as people began to point, laugh, whistle and stare. Watching a grinning Simone five stories high.

She waved in silence when really she wanted to yell. _That will teach you to screw in my fucking bed, you nympho maniacs!_ Yet again her mother had taught her better then that, and she knew that when she searched for her phone to call Chief Sam Bennett to report a scene of indecent nudity.

"Ooh, he'd love that." She mused as she grabbed the device. Hearing it ring.

"This better be good, John." She said.

"It's not John."

"Then who the hell is this?" She asked angered that someone had been ruining her fun.

"It's Omar. Remember me?" He said somewhat sarcastically. Her boyfriend of two years, since Chad. "Where are you? I'm about to go on to do my second set - I'm playing your song."

Shit! Her mind cursed, as she hit her head fervently. Tonight! Why did he have to play the Blue Note, tonight? Is what she might have asked, had it been anyone else. " … Omar, baby. I don't think I can make it tonight."

"What do you mean. 'You can't make it' ? I've been going on about this gig for months. You told me you wouldn't miss this for the world, come on Simone. This is real big for me - can't what you're doing wait?"

He was begging her, and somewhere Simone felt her heart warm at the thought that he'd really wanted her to be there. Her. Not any of the other desperate woman who loomed around trying to get the hook up with attractive musicians like, Omar. And that fact alone made her feel worse, that she had to say no.

"I'm sorry, O. But I promise, I'll make it up to you."

"Of _course_ you will. Bye, Simone."

He was hurt she knew that. But she wouldn't budge no way was she going to the Blue Note. _Never again._

"Bye Omar. Hey, good luck tonight."

"… thanks."

…


End file.
